ElliQ in Australia: can you get the AI companion for older people?

ElliQ is a tabletop AI companion made for older people who live alone. It chats, reminds, suggests activities and makes video calls with family, and US state programs have handed out hundreds of them. Australian families often hear about it and ask where to buy one. Here's what it is, what it costs in the US, what its privacy policy says, and what you can actually get in Australia. Checked 4 November 2026.

By Domestic Robot · Editor: Christian Ganaban · Updated 4 November 2026

Researched, not testedBased on Intuition Robotics' own website, privacy policy and announcements, published research and news reports, all linked below. We haven't used ElliQ. This page isn't health advice. ElliQ is not a medical device or an emergency alarm, and no robot replaces care, a personal alarm or human contact.

Quick answer

No, ElliQ isn't available in Australia. Its maker, Intuition Robotics, says it ships and supports ElliQ only in the United States, in English. We found no Australian distributor, trial or aged-care program. In the US it's leased, not sold: a US$249 setup fee plus a membership from US$39 a month (on a 24-month plan) to US$59 month to month. The only other market announced is Japan, with a local partner and no release date yet. ElliQ says itself that it isn't a medical device or an emergency alert system. In Australia, the closest options are robot pets such as Joy for All, video-calling telepresence robots, and, in some aged care homes, Melbourne-made Abi.

ElliQ at a glance

	ElliQ	Notes
Maker	Intuition Robotics (Israel and US)	Unveiled at CES 2017; US sales since 2022
Current model	ElliQ 3	Launched January 2024: faster chip, integrated screen, smaller and lighter
Sold in Australia?	No	Ships and supported only in the US (ElliQ FAQ, checked 4 Nov 2026)
US price	Lease: US$249 setup + US$39–59 a month	24-month, annual or monthly membership; US$1,500 fee if not returned within 45 days of cancelling
Needs	Wi-Fi	English only
Medical device or alarm?	No	ElliQ's product page says so

What ElliQ does

ElliQ is a small tabletop robot with a moving, light-up “head” and a screen. It's designed to start conversations rather than wait to be asked. According to Intuition Robotics, it can:

Chat, using a large language model with memory of past conversations and built-in guardrails.
Remind and check in: medication and appointment reminders, wellness check-ins and simple goal tracking.
Suggest activities: music, trivia, chair yoga, painting and poetry activities and live group bingo.
Connect family: video calls and messages, plus a free caregiver app for relatives.

It doesn't move around the house, can't detect a fall the way a personal alarm can, and can't call for help on its own. It's a conversation partner and reminder system, not a carer.

What it costs in the US

ElliQ is leased through a membership. As listed on elliq.com on 4 November 2026: a one-off US$249 lease initiation fee, then US$39 a month on a 24-month plan (US$936 billed up front), US$49 a month on an annual plan (US$588 up front) or US$59 month to month. The 24-month and annual plans include a 30-day trial. If you cancel and don't return the device within 45 days, there's a US$1,500 non-return fee.

Much of ElliQ's use comes through public programs rather than families paying themselves. New York State's Office for the Aging began giving it to older people in 2022, and Washington State's Medicaid program started covering it as a “smart care device” in 2026. None of those programs apply in Australia.

Can you get ElliQ in Australia?

Not officially. ElliQ's FAQ says the company ships and provides support only within the United States, and the lease model needs US billing and a returnable device. Importing one privately would mean no local support and no clear consumer guarantee from an Australian supplier, and we couldn't find its power or plug specifications to say whether it would even work here.

The only market outside the US announced so far is Japan: trading company Kanematsu invested in Intuition Robotics in September 2025 to develop a Japanese version, and has run hands-on events in 2026, but hasn't announced a price or release. We found no Australian or New Zealand trial. We'll update this page if that changes.

Does ElliQ reduce loneliness? What the evidence says

The headline numbers come with caveats worth knowing:

New York State (2023): the state's Office for the Aging reported a “95% reduction in loneliness” among users. That was a joint announcement with the maker, not a peer-reviewed study, with no comparison group.
Peer-reviewed survey (2024): a paper in the Journal of Aging Research and Lifestyle surveyed 173 users across 15 US and Canadian programs. 80% said they felt less lonely and 74% said their quality of life had improved. It wasn't a randomised trial, users chose to answer, and three of the authors work for Intuition Robotics. The authors call for randomised trials.

So the evidence is encouraging but early, and mostly self-reported. A companion device can add to contact with family, friends and services; it shouldn't replace them.

Privacy: what ElliQ collects

ElliQ has cameras and microphones in a home where an older person may be alone, so its privacy terms matter. Its FAQ says it listens only for its wake word when idle and that its cameras don't record you; the camera turns on fully only for video calls and selfies. Its privacy policy (updated 1 January 2026) is broader:

What it can collect: audio and video data, health information you share (such as medications), location and usage data.
Where it goes: third-party cloud storage at an unnamed location, possibly transferred overseas, kept for at least six years after an account closes.
Sharing: de-identified data may be shared with partners and researchers.
A mixed message on health privacy: the FAQ says the company is HIPAA compliant (the US health privacy law), while the privacy policy says the service isn't subject to HIPAA but tries to follow it.

The policy is written for US law and doesn't mention Australia's Privacy Act. Our companion robot privacy guide has a checklist for any device like this.

What you can get in Australia instead

Nothing sold here does everything ElliQ does, but these cover parts of it:

Robot pets for comfort: Joy for All companion pets are sold by Australian aged-care and mobility suppliers. They respond to touch but don't talk or remind.
Video check-ins: telepresence robots and camera robots let family call in, with the person's consent.
In aged care homes: Melbourne company Andromeda's Abi companion robot works in all 22 of mecwacare's Victorian residential homes. It's sold to providers, not families. See robots in Australian aged care.
For safety: a personal alarm or monitored emergency service does a job no companion robot does.

Buying for a parent who lives alone? Our family checklist covers what helps and what doesn't, and companion robots for older Australians compares the options. All picks are in best companion robots.

Common questions

Is ElliQ available in Australia?

No. As of 4 November 2026 Intuition Robotics says it ships and supports ElliQ only in the United States. We found no Australian distributor, trial or aged-care program.

How much does ElliQ cost?

In the US ElliQ is leased: a US$249 setup fee plus US$39 a month on a 24-month plan, US$49 a month on an annual plan, or US$59 month to month (elliq.com, checked 4 November 2026).

Is ElliQ a medical alert device?

No. ElliQ's own product page says it isn't a medical device or an emergency alert system. If someone needs help in an emergency, they need a personal alarm or monitored service as well.

Does ElliQ record conversations?

Its FAQ says it listens only for its wake word when idle and that its cameras don't record you. Its privacy policy says it can collect audio-visual, health and location data, stored in third-party cloud storage.

What's an alternative to ElliQ in Australia?

Nothing sold here matches it directly. Families use robot pets such as Joy for All, video-calling telepresence or camera robots, and in some Victorian aged care homes residents can use the Abi companion robot.

Sources

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